Admissions
There are two kinds of admissions to Slade.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Admissions are for those children starting school for the first time in Reception Year and In Year Admissions, which happen once a child has already started school and there is a desire or need to transfer schools, or is new to the UK and is of school age.
Both of these are described in full below. If you have any questions, please contact us using the email address admissions@slade.kent.sch.uk.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Admissions
​​​We offer 60 places in our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, or 'Year R') for new admissions (this is our Published Admissions Number). These places will be allocated by our admissions authority, Kent County Council, in accordance with the following criteria (in order of priority):
- Children in Local Authority Care
- Current Family Associations (siblings)
- Health and Special Access reasons
- Nearness of children's homes to school
Primary School Reallocation Offer Day: Thursday 21 May
From about midday on 21 May, emails will be received by parents and carers who have made a late or waiting list application to join Slade Primary School. This offer of a school place will be sent from Kent County Council to the email address used on the original application.
Please read on for our guide of what to do next once you have received your offer on Thursday 21 May:
I have received an offer to join Slade and this is what I wanted.
In this case, you should wait for a welcome email from us. We will write to parents and carers of children who have been offered places at Slade later on 21 May.
Our email will detail everything that you should do next, which will be to let us know that you accept the place, attaching copies of evidence of your address. We cannot process any acceptance without address evidence also being submitted. Once this has been done, we will send you our welcome pack which is a guide to the next few months as well as an introduction to your new school.
I have not received an offer to join the school I wanted.
From Friday 22 May, you can apply to be on the waiting list of any school using the In Year Transfer application route; scroll down on this page to find out how to do this.
You can also appeal against the decision of the Local Authority. Any appeals received after Monday 18 May will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline, or where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education. More details and the form required to submit an appeal can be found via the Kent County Council website: Appeal a school offer – Kent County Council.
Useful links
In-Year Admissions
If you are looking to transfer your child from another primary school, please complete an in year admissions form and submit this directly to us. Slade Primary School applies the admissions criteria laid out by Kent County Council as described above in the EYFS Admissions section. Please click on the link below to find out more information about the criteria and for links to the application form required.
Please email your completed application form via our dedicated admissions email address:admissions@slade.kent.sch.uk
Useful links:
Visiting the School
For parents interested in joining Slade as an In Year transfer, we are unable to satisfy demand for tours before such time that an offer of a place has become available. Once this is the case, we will invite you in for a full 1-2-1 family tour before making up your mind whether to accept the place or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When should I apply for a place for my child?
Children start school when they are 4 rising 5 and all applications should be made via the Kent County Council in the year preceding their 5th birthday.
For example: Children who are born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 need to apply in the application window which opens in November 2025 through to the closing date in mid January 2026 for admission to school in September 2026.
2. Can I put my name down on a waiting list now for a place for reception?
Slade Primary School does not keep a reception waiting list or expression of interest list.
3. What is your catchment area?
There is no official 'catchment area'. We fill our spaces using the criteria mentioned above - with the vast majority of spaces being filled by those living closest to the school (criteria 4). Although a set distance does not guarantee a successful application, and as a guide only from the last two years, the furthest distance from the school to gain a place under this criteria has been 1.3 Kilometres.
4. How are children allocated to a class when they start school?
Children are divided up into two classes in order of date of birth. We attempt, where possible to provide classes with an equal number of boys to girls, additional educational needs and other factors that will allow for a balanced year group.
5. What provision do you have out of school hours?
We have limited spaces wraparound provision at Slade for Breakfast Club, starting at 07:30 and for After School Club finishing at 17:30. Further details can be obtained on the relevant page on this website or by contacting yetis@slade.kent.sch.uk.